The Women's Center-High Desert is waiting for the federal government to put employees at its drawdown facilities back to work so the advocacy group can access its grant money. The center works on a reimbursement program, so it spends money on things like the battered women's shelter and gets paid back from the state. The state funding is through federal grants.

The facility that makes those reimbursements out of grants the center has already been awarded, closed Oct. 4 due to the government shutdown. This is all happening as the center enters its “busy season” from October through January. The number of people seeking services from the center has also been rising recently.

Carol Beecroft, chief executive officer of the center, said Wednesday that the services will still be offered, but the organization will be affected deeper and deeper as the government stalemate drags on.

She explained that every one of the center's grants are based on reimbursement, so with the drawdown center closed, cash flow is tight. The center receives money from the Center for Disease Control for its rape prevention program, but the CDC is closed due to the government shutdown.

There is one exception on the grant money, a county grant from First 5 of Kern, but it’s only enough to literally keep the lights on at its office. It’s not enough to pay salaries, or fund the women's shelter and transitional housing. The First 5 grant is only 10 percent of the organization's $1 million annual budget.

The priority for the center is to keep its 52-bed shelter and transitional housing facility open, Beecroft said. “The shelter's the last thing to go,” she said.

If the shutdown continues, there will be a reduction in hours for its 20 employees and possibly closing of its office on China Lake Boulevard. After the cuts to personnel would come cuts to counseling services and then its three 24-hour hotlines for domestic violence, sexual assault and abuse, and child abuse prevention.

A similar situation happened in the 1990s when the State of California shutdown, but IOUs were issued as reimbursements and other payments. Beecroft said the federal government has issued no IOUs nor are there plans to issue any.

During the state's shutdown, the salaried employees at the center would pull double duty; working their normal 8-hour shift in the office then another eight or so hours at the shelter or answering phones.

Beecroft explained the center could decide to take out a loan to cover its costs, but it would ultimately cost the center more in the long run.

If the center decides to take out a line of credit to cover the bills, it will not get paid back for the interest or any other fees attached to a loan. The organization is already stretched thin financially, following years of cuts in programs from dysfunctional state and federal budgets, and a sour economy.

Page 2 of 3 - The center is ordered by its grants to remain open and available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and has to in order to stay eligible for future grant funding.

Luckily the center is gifted with a strong and dedicated troupe of volunteers that help answer phones and also help at the shelter. The center is currently in the middle of volunteer training.

“The people that work here are very passionate about what they do,” she added.

The center also wants to keep morale up so it is going ahead with a planned Halloween party for the shelter.

Beecroft said that despite a lack of funding, keeping smiles on the faces of families at the shelter is essential, just like diapers and toothpaste.

She said “we're trying to maintain a sense of normalcy,” for the residents of the shelter that have already been through so much.

Center's needs

The shelter is a discreet, yet family-friendly facility for those who need a temporary housing solution and can stay for up to 35 days. But it is also used for transitional housing. Transitional housing is for people adjusting to life off the streets, or away from drugs or an abusive relationship. Transitional housing is available for up to one year.

The successful program has a 94 percent rate of clients finding permanent housing and employment. Last year, the program assisted more than 60 clients in transition.

The shelter and transitional housing unit currently has 30 guests, with an even split of adults and children. To keep that sense of normalcy and morale high for folks in the shelter, the center is asking the public's help.

The center is looking for monetary or goods donations, as either is welcome. What it needs are essentials like diapers for any sized child, diaper cream, children's cold and flu medications, baby formula, toothpaste, PediaSure and Pedialyte, toilet paper and other toiletries.

There is also a need for fresh foods and perishables. Beecroft said the center could use and appreciates gift cards to Albertsons, Stater Brothers, Walmart and the like to help pay for special diets, like for diabetics or those with cultural dietary needs.

The center is currently using the generous donations from the Salvation Army and Walmart but those items are dwindling.

The center is also looking for pumpkins for carving and other family-friendly Halloween-themed items. The government could close down completely, but kids would still expect to get dressed up, get spooked by Jack-O-Lanterns and go home with heaps of free candy on the last day of October.

School is another stressful and expensive time for the residents of the shelter and the center. There are added expenses of school supplies, snacks and sports. The stress of the beginning of school will soon be replaced, or added to, the stressful obligations of the holidays.

Page 3 of 3 - “The community has always been so good us,” Beecroft said. She hopes the folks of the Indian Wells Valley and beyond will, again, show off their generosity.

Visit the organization's Facebook page for a full list of its needs, or for more information go to www.womenscenterhighdesert.org or call (760) 371-1969.